The present invention relates to a safety visor which is produced by etching of metal and which comprises a grid defining a large number of light-permeable holes.
Safety visors for use primarily within forestry are previously known in numerous variations and designs.
As its name suggests, a safety visor is intended to protect the wearer""s face, but above all eyes without obscuring the wearer""s view to any appreciable degree. There are essentially two risk factors which the safety visor is to reduce or preferably wholly eliminate. First, the safety visor is to keep out flying matter such as dust, sawdust and the like. Secondly, the safety visor must protect against penetration by sharp objects such as small branches, twigs etc. Flying foreign matter often enters obliquely from beneath, while, on the other hand, sharp objects can come from any direction whatever.
There are previously known in the art safety visors which consist of sparsely woven metal wire. Such safety visors can provide adequate protection against flying foreign matter if the mesh is suitably small, but on the other hand, protection against penetration by pointed or sharp objects is considerably poorer, since the individual wires in the safety visor slide in relation to each other.
It is also previously known in the art to produce safety visors by the application of an etching process on sheet metal.
Regardless of whether the safety visor is etched or woven in metal, it naturally obstructs the view of the wearer more or less seriously. In order to obviate this problem, for example BP 689 812 calls for the manufacture of safety visors from two different materials with a central region of the visor formed from a transparent view plate while the peripheral parts consist of woven metal mesh.
The transparent view plate affords a good view as long as it is new, but is rapidly scratched and as a result deteriorates in quality. Further, a view plate of the type employed here often causes problems by misting over.
The present invention has for its object to design the safety visor intimated by way of introduction such that the drawbacks inherent in prior art technology are obviated. In particular, the present invention has for its object to realize a visor which gives maximum unobstructed view within the sectors where this is most important without, to that end, any deterioration taking place in the mechanical strength or any appreciable increase in permeability to flying objects.
The object forming the basis of the present invention will be attained if the safety visor intimated by way of introduction is characterised in that it has at least two regions where the holes are of different areas and/or configuration.
As a result of this feature, the safety visor can be given a central zone, preferably located in the middle of the visor and at its upper region, where the light transmission is greater than in the rest of the visor. Below and to the sides of this zone, the safety visor displays zones with less light transmission and, as a result, improved mechanical strength and increased protection against flying objects